FreeWeather.info

First, always make sure plants have an adequate supply of water. Farm vegetables and flowers need to be watered daily, sometimes twice daily during our driest month - June. So do patio plants in containers. Newly planted trees and shrubs also need daily watering for the first few weeks, or until the monsoon rains arrive in July. Only then should watering of newly planted trees and shrubs, even the likes of mesquite and jojoba, be spaced farther apart.For trees and shrubs that have been growing for a time, a year or more, watering depends on their type. Non-desert varieties like citrus, oak, and privet will need a deep watering once each week. Native and desert-adapted varieties such as palo verde, desert willow, and acacia can survive on their own in years of normal rain occurrence. But normal years are few and far between so it’s best to provide them a good soaking once or twice a month during hot, dry weather. With substantial monsoon rains, watering on all types of established trees and shrubs can be reduced or curtailed.

Wilt is the most common symptom of moisture stress on plants. Small garden plants and new plantings of all types are most inclined to wilt. If you notice plants drooping in the heat of mid-day, cool them down. This can be accomplished by hosing them off with cool water. The water drastically reduces moisture loss from leaves and cools the plants. As a result, the plants are once again able to draw more moisture from the soil than they loose through their leaves. Water pressure within the plant returns causing them to perk up. Remember, let the garden hose run on bare ground until cool water comes out. Never hose down plants with hot water!

Shading plants will also help cut their moisture loss. Shade cloth and row cover fabric can be purchased in garden centers and home supply stores. Plants can be covered directly, or you can construct a simple wood frame to hold the shade cloth. The frame should be positioned overhead or on the west side of plants to be protected. Patio plants can be repositioned where they receive afternoon shade. Moving them to a temporary location under a tree will also help. Avoid pruning plants during the summer. Removing too much leafy growth will expose the stems and branches to strong sunlight that can cause the wood to sun-scald.

Mulch is a must for summer gardens. All plants benefit by having a layer of organic matter such as straw, compost, or cedar mulch. A two to three inch layer will insulate the soil, keeping it from getting too hot and drying out. After applying you mulch covering, pull it back slightly away from the base of the plants.

Finally, never apply sprays of garden chemicals when temperatures are above 90 degrees! Heat and sunlight combined with chemical sprays can be toxic to plants. If you must spray, do it early in the morning, when temperatures are cooler. Better yet, try spraying with a strong jet of water. This will control many common garden pests such as aphids and mites.

Many types of grass on peoples’ lawns in the United States do not originate in America. So knowing the type of grass a person has in their lawn can help that person to make a comprehensive lawn care routine.

Cool weather grasses tolerate the lower temperatures of Maine, Washington, Montana and other far northern states as well as the milder temperatures of Virginia, Nebraska, Colorado, and northern California. The cool weather grasses do however tend to brown in high temperatures, and odd super hot summers can ruin one of these lawns.

Warm weather grasses are most common in areas like southern California, Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Florida. These states generally have mild winters which will protect the grass from stunting. Lawn care for southern lawns will take more time than that of a northern lawn if for no other reason than the number of months grass grows well.

Lawn Care Basics

Sunlight is one element of lawn care that people cannot provide for it. All plants need sunlight to survive; if a person were to live in an area with less sun they should be careful in choosing a grass. Some types such as Kentucky Blue Grass, rye grass, or fuscue grass are forgiving in this way.

Places with lots of sun will need grasses which are a bit more tolerant of the heat, and will sprout up early in the spring. To keep warm weather grasses happy, the lawn care regiment includes the need for plenty of water during extremely hot months to keep their color. Warm weather grasses include centipede, St. Augustine, or Bermuda grasses.

Every lawn care regiment should include fertilizer as nourishing the grasses in this way will help to build a thick green lawn that is desired by everyone in America. Fertilizing is important because a well fed lawn will not need as much long them maintenance.

When the grass doesn’t have to “worry” about starving, it can “focus” on slow steady even growth. This slow and steady approach will give the grass strong roots and reduce the amount of cutting the lawn care routine will require. Stronger roots will withstand a cold snap or drought better as well as mowing and people walking or playing on their lawn.

The basic person’s lawn care routine should plan on four or five feedings each year including the first and last cutting. Booster doses are helpful after the first thaw, during the early days of summer when temperatures are rising or starting to equalize, and late in the summer when drought could be taking hold and/or temperatures are their highest.

Great lawns can’t happen over night, continuous lawn care combined with preventive maintenance can help to keep a lawn strong, green, and beautiful year after year. Giving the grass everything they need through out the year will help to maintain a strong healthy lawn that will last.

In cold weather, keep your pets away from antifreeze solution, and promptly clean up any antifreeze that spills. Antifreeze is attractive to pets and is deadly, even in very small amounts. Following is more cold weather information. Most urban pets spend the majority of their time indoors, and don’t have tolerance for extremely cold weather. Do not leave your pets outdoors unattended when the temperature gets below freezing! Pets must build up a thicker coat and get their footpads toughened for snow and ice. Pets that get too chilled could develop hypothermia or even frostbite. Ear tips are especially susceptible to frostbite.

OUTERWEAR
Dogs with very short coats have the least tolerance for cold. Extremely short-coated breeds include Greyhounds, Doberman, Boxers, Boston Terriers and Chihuahuas. These breeds shouldn’t go outside without a sweater or a coat except for short times to relieve themselves. Small dogs with short coats (such as Chihuahuas, miniature Pinschers, and miniature Dachshunds) are especially vulnerable to cold. They may not tolerate any outdoor exercise in extremely cold weather.

FOOT (PAW) CARE
Many dogs need boots in cold weather, regardless of coat length. If your dog frequently lifts up his paws, whines or stops on his walks, his feet are uncomfortably cold. Be sure to get your dog used to wearing boots before cold weather sets in. Another frequently seen foot problem is the formation of iceballs between the pads and toes of the feet, especially in dogs with long fur. Once iceballs form, they are very painful, much like walking on rocks. When dogs get these, they often whine, stop walking and start chewing at the bottoms of their feet to remove the painful iceballs. To help prevent iceballs, trim hair around your dog’s feet. Apply a small amount of Vaseline, cooking oil, or PAM spray to your dog’s feet before taking him for a walk. Make sure you use oil that can be eaten; most dogs lick at their paws. If your pet walks on salted sidewalks or streets, be sure to wash his paws after your walk. Salt is very irritating to footpads. Many dogs will quickly start whining and biting at their feet after just a few steps on salted roads. Gently rub the bottom of the feet to remove the salt as soon as your dog is off the road.

OUTDOOR PETS
If your pet spends a lot of time outdoors, let him get acclimated gradually to dropping temperatures. Once a pet is acclimated to either warm or cold, a long dose of the other extreme is hard to take. Outdoor pets need a sheltered place that is well bedded with DRY straw, shavings, blanket strips or other insulating material that traps warm air. Also, remember that animals drag a lot of moisture into their bedding areas from snow, rain and mud. Check it often and change it whenever it is wet, or your pets can’t keep themselves warm. Northern dog breeds such as Huskies and Malamutes who actually work in the winter pulling sleds need more calories.

INDOOR PETS
The rest of the pet population generally gets less active in winter. Consequently, cut back a bit on what you feed your animals, or your vet will be nagging you in spring about your portly pets.

CATS
Most cats prefer to spend winter indoors, but be cautious if your cat likes being outside. Don’t let him out in bitterly cold weather, and be sure he has a warm place to go if he spends a lot of time outdoors. Cats left outdoors have a particular hazard; they often crawl into a warm car engine to get warm. When that engine is next started up, the cat can be seriously injured or killed by the fan blade or belt. It’s much safer to keep your cat indoors in winter. For more cold weather information for your pets, talk to your veterinarian.

• Be alert for the signs of heat stress—heavy panting, glazed eyes, a rapid pulse, unsteadiness, a staggering gait, vomiting, or a deep red or purple tongue.
• If your pet becomes overheated, you must lower his body temperature immediately.
• Move your pet into the shade and apply cool (not cold) water all over her body to gradually lower her body temperature.
• Apply ice packs or cold towels to your pet’s head, neck, and chest only.
• Let your pet drink small amounts of cool water or lick ice cubes.
• Take your pet to a veterinarian right away—it could save your pet’s life.

Before technological resources were available, people used to rely on nature for predicting the weather. For instance, “if it smells like rain,” then chances are good that wet weather is on its way. Another one might be, “rainbow at noon, rain will come soon.” Pay attention to our surroundings; even the slightest change in anything from animal behavior to plants and the sky can tip off an upcoming weather event.

Look at Plants

In the garden, there are many way to look for clues to weather. Plants, for example, are great weather forecasters. Many plants are able to determine temperatures as they rise and fall. As a result, some of these plants will open and close their foliage or blooms. Take the kids out to the garden and see if they can find examples of this. For instance, a crocus will open up when it’s warm and close when it gets colder. Plants can also predict weather events the same way. Daisies fold up their petals before it rains. Tulips open up when the weather is fair and dry. The leaves of many trees will turn their backs up, signaling approaching rain or stormy conditions.

Look at Animals

Animals are also good indicators of weather. Unusual behavior is one of the most common signs of bad weather because animals are sensitive to changes in the environment. For instance, birds will fly high in sunny weather and lower once conditions worsen. Spiders will leave the web when bad weather is coming. Bees will go back to the hive. Dogs might eat more grass. Cows can be seen in a huddle.

Crickets are great for forecasting temperatures. During warm weather, they will chirp faster, but once it begins getting cooler, crickets will chirp slower. The number of times a cricket chirps within 15 seconds will give the current temperature when added to 37.

Look at the Sky

From its color to the types of clouds, the sky is another weather indicator. Discuss weatherlore saying that reference the sky such as “red in the morning, sailor’s warning.” “The higher the clouds, the better the weather.” Have them look at the sky for signs of weather events. For instance, the clouds will become darker and taller when stormy conditions are likely. Few clouds in the sky mean fair weather, as do bright blue skies. Keep in mind that just because it may be sunny, however, doesn’t always mean pleasant conditions. It can sometimes rain while the sun is still shining. This usually doesn’t last too long though. Like the saying, “sunny shower won’t last an hour.” See how many of these sayings they can come up with and note which ones are true on their chart.

Weatherlore - Garden

“The flowers smell especially lovely today. What does this mean? There will be clouds later with a good chance of rain. Tomorrow, however, no rain will pass if there’s dew on the grass.”